Sunday, December 9, 2012Donovan Munger commits to Ohio State
By Brad Bournival

Ohio State stayed on defense Sunday when it picked up its 19th commit in the class of 2013.

Two days after Gareon Conley picked the Buckeyes, this one came on the defensive line as ESPN 300 defensive tackle Donovan Munger (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights) gave his pledge to the Buckeyes after taking his official visit to Columbus over the weekend.

“He and his mom both went down there, took the visit, and felt comfortable with Coach [Stan] Drayton, Coach [Mike] Vrabel and Coach [Urban] Meyer,” Gibson said. “That was enough for him to go there.”

Munger, ranked No. 283 in the ESPN 300, had a top 11 in November of Ohio State, USC, Michigan State, Tennessee, UCLA, West Virginia, Louisville, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Georgia and Pittsburgh.

Munger’s commitment adds more depth in the trenches, a position Meyer made a focal point on his two national championships at Florida. The 6-foot-3, 280-pound, four-star defensive tackle liked his official visit to UCLA on Nov. 16, but apparently the Buckeyes’ visit was better as he took just a little over 24 hours -- he started his official on Saturday instead of Friday -- and committed Sunday afternoon.

Along with ESPN 2014 Watch List defensive end Joe Henderson, Munger led the Raiders to an 8-2 record yet missed the playoffs in a rigid Division I, Region 1 bracket.

Munger finished his senior season strong with 70 tackles -- 14 for loss -- six sacks, 23 quarterback pressures, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up.

“He’s an explosive player,” Gibson said. “Because he played on both sides of the ball, it gives him a huge advantage. He’s very smart. He’s knows the game. He’s a student of the game.”

The 283rd-ranked player in the nation, he had more than 30 offers. Munger is the 24th-ranked defensive tackle in the nation.

“He’s tired,” Gibson said. “He doesn’t want to talk to reporters or to the media. He’s glad it’s come to an end and looking forward to moving on to the next chapter.”